


Oh what a web.

by ForestFox



Series: The future in your words. [7]
Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Developing Relationship, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Past Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-18
Updated: 2014-10-18
Packaged: 2018-02-21 15:00:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2472461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ForestFox/pseuds/ForestFox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack attempts to set the wrongs against him right, while others continue to plan to bring him down.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Oh what a web.

Jack sighed, sitting back in his chair. He knew the guard was tense and ready to strike if he so much as looked at the battery with ill intent. He could not believe how much Aster had had to champion for him to be able to fix the blasted thing. He was the only one ready and able to fix the thing, and yet the king had spent valuable time bickering with King Pitchiner. His smart King, easily slithering out of his agreement as only a royal could, offering a much desired battery but no one to repair it should it break. 

He ran a careful hand over the core. The translucent crystal really was a marvel, light in his hands even though it was easily the size of his head, each facet catching the ambient light in the room and reflecting it back tenfold. Very much like a diamond, a large energy storing diamond. The secret to its creation was held close to the nomadic lunar mages, who often took their secrets to the grave.

And Jack was holding it for the first time without supervision. He rested the crystal in his lap as he looked up at the battery casing. An entire wall of the cube had been removed so he could work. 

Staring into the intricate circuit work off the machine he smiled. Perhaps for his efforts he would get a reward. Aster had been very delighted at the idea of fixing the battery. Jack had even resisted the urge to bicker with him when he had said sour things of Pitch.

Aster was right to be cross with him, though. He had promised a working machine but no service, and had refused assistance to repair it on the word that it had been working when it had been delivered. And the word of a King was law. He would not go back on it now. Surely he had seen to it himself, Jack’s way of life was in the balance, after all. As it was he was running out of time and still under guard escort when he wasn’t in his rooms.

Jack could make no argument in bed for it either. Even naked and being marveled at by roaming Pooka hands could get him no promises of his safety when his time was up. At least Aster was honest with him, words he uttered readily to his son were offered up to him as well. ‘I won’t make you promises I can’t keep.’

“Is your work done?” Aster’s voice brought him back to the present. A paw was on his shoulder, urging him to look in his direction. Turning he smiled up at his furry companion, nodding.

“For now. I have to wait until the moon comes up. The core will need at least three nights charge to properly run the entire battery. Then a week’s time after that before it can power anything reliably. I don’t trust its care to anyone else.” He added quickly, his hands covering the core in his lap. It wasn’t a delicate piece, certainly. But the machine was useless without it and without the battery to keep him safe he would be tossed out on his backside before a search could be mounted for a stolen core.

“Then I’ll speak to my brother again. He will see reason that you are the only one qualified in this country to oversee this. We will no doubt have to keep it in my room to instill some trust.” Aster said, though his eyes showed his worry. Jack smiled softly, there it was, that most handsome quality about the Pooka. He believed his words and he trusted Jack’s intentions with the machine. He was sticking his neck out for him. Putting his own title and standing with his King at risk so that Jack might set things right for himself. Damn whoever was trying to get him killed.

Looking down at the core again he ran his hands over the smooth surface, his well-manicured fingers tracing the facets lovingly. “You’ll see Aster. It’s a beautiful sight to behold. When the moon hits it, it lights up the room; rather romantically I think. The perfect setting to make love,” He said softly.

The well-practiced words of a concubine, yes. But he meant them. Now that he was properly warming Aster’s bed he felt their connection. That fragile bond he had fostered and forced with the agreement slowly but surely growing strong. The only thing that would bind him even deeper to the Pooka was children. But still nothing had come from that, and his time was fast running out. Five short months to prove he had conceived before neither kingdom would welcome him.

Then again, he had started with nothing. Returning to nothing would be nothing new.

He felt Aster’s paw gently stroke his cheek. Nothing was said, nothing could be said now as it was. Words of endearment and promises were not becoming of a Lord to a whore. A king? People would turn the other way. Here? Jack was human and not even a Lord could change that fact. 

-

The Queen smiled sweetly as a message came to her sitting room. He was a well-dressed lad with honey colored hair and such perfectly tanned skin, a testament of his messenger position. She watched the boy flip open his satchel and pull a piece of parchment from it for her from a colored pocket inside.

She held out her hand to accept the note. There was no address on the missive, not as though there needed to be. This messenger was illiterate and mute for a reason. Her precious cripple that would never spread words or read things that would get him killed or worse. Her mother had hand picked him and raised him for her, a personal loyal servant. Just as she herself was beginning to do for her daughter. Complete and unquestioning loyalty, she gave him a warm nod and a biscuit from the tray on the table before her. It was always important to treat him as a friend, never give him doubt or reason to question her.

“Thank you, go, rest my dear. I’ll have the maids prepare you a bed.” She shifted in her seat to get comfortable. This was the news she was waiting for she hoped. She’d be furious if it was just another ‘update’, she wanted the matters of Jack settled once and for all.

She was not disappointed as she eyed the elegant script. Without a moment’s hesitation she crumpled the note in her palm and set it ablaze with one carefully aimed spell. She was no fire mage, but she carried enough of the gift to light candles or singe an attacker if the need arose. But no more than that.

The news was good, troublesome, but good. Either way now this would play out in her favor. She mentally repeated the message to brighten her day even more.

‘Your desires have been met. 

Unfortunately blood must be split, as ever I will act in your interests.’

 

 


End file.
